Interior Design

General Questions

Are Interior designers licensed? In a very few states interior designers are now licensed. This (in my opinion) is really an issue of taxing and finances for the individual State coffers and has nothing to do with licensing to protect the public welfare and safety. Every licensed professional has several things in common; they have long periods of time invested in college, a professional licensing exam given to prove they can protect the public safety and welfare plus a training period where they learn under a currently licensed practitioner. Architects (New York State but not all others) are considered as licensed structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineers, because we studied and passed licensing exams for these subjects as part of the architectural exam

Should Interior Designers be licensed? Because licensing laws deal with protecting the safety and welfare of the public, and Interior Designers do not have training or proven tested knowledge to alter the structure or any component parts (electrical, mechanical, plumbing) of a building, I believe the answer is a very obvious -NO! If they do not perform a professional service that deals with the safety and welfare of the public, why should they be called a professional and be licensed as a professional?

However;

This is a mute point in New York State, because they are in fact now licensed by the State.

What is my interior design training? 3 years training at the New York School of Interior Design and 4 years of additional training at Pratt Institute. Then 15 years experience working in large and small interior design firms plus for the Federal Government and teaching the subject at a State college (Rutgers University).

Is there an advantage to you that I am also an licensed architect? Sure there is! Almost all interior projects involve some structural alterations. An Interior Designer is not licensed to alter anything structurally, but as an architect, I can. This means that you are getting additional value for the same price. I am also a very well know Building Inspector, Master Planner and Forensic Architect. With me, you get 5 different capabilities that when combined, form a unique combination of skills that you benefit from.

Is an interior design project the same as an architectural project? Not at all! Interiors projects involve the procurement of interior furniture, furnishings and equipment and includes programming of the interior spaces and requirements as part of the basic services. The authority to reject goods is left in the hands of the owner rather than the architect, since the procurement of goods is governed by the Uniform Code (UCC).

Does interior work require a special contract for service? Yes, I think it should. I would normally use the American Institute of Architects (AIA) contract B171, Standard form of agreement between Owner and Architect for interior design.

Listing of Projects

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Lincoln Tunnel, Administration Building. (Project Architect for Space Requirements Report of almost 500,000 square feet of space, new Administration Complex with Urbahn Lynn Associates)

Newburgh Public Housing, Newburgh, New York (Total renovation of DHCR Housing, 9 story high rise project building, including all electrical, mechanical, bathrooms, public spaces and grounds with another architect, Ehasz-Giacolone Architects, P.C.)

Renovation and Alterations, Martha Lawrence Day Care Center, Peekskill, N.Y. (Principal Architect of 30,000 S.F. renovation of a old school into the largest Day Care Center in New York State. Meets all ADA requirements.)

Physical Survey “MRI” Building, St. Francis Hospital, North Street, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Principal Architect-Survey to confirm compliance with all NY State Board of Health and ADA requirements.)

Alterations and Expansion to Renal Dialysis Unit, St. Francis Hospital, North Street, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Principal Architect of 10,000 S.F. alteration and expansion, while patient care continued, and an additional sky lighted waiting room was created on a roof top area adjacent to the patient ward. Meets all ADA requirements.)

ETO Certification of Main Sterilizing Rooms, St. Francis Hospital, North Street, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Principal Architect of new system to bring

ETO emissions into compliance with new international laws for toxic gas dispersal into the air. Meets all ADA requirements.)

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, JFK International Airport, Queens, N.Y. (Designed International Arrivals Building cafeteria renovation, main passenger entrance area renovation, Parking lots toll booth renovations, Site overhead road graphics program, Police/Crash/fire/Rescue renovation and architectural interface at the 150th Street and Sunrise Highway cloverleaf entrance to the airport-Staff designer.)

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, La Guardia Airport, Queens, N.Y. (Designed renovations to all parking lots, toll booths and roadway signage, designed alterations to Butler Aviation hanger and the old F.A.A. building, designed alterations to Eastern Airlines Terminal, designed alterations to Main Terminal, and Police Station -Staff designer.)

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, New York, N.Y. (Designed the total renovation of the two main passenger lobbies, and Police Station, over 100,000 square feet -Staff designer.)

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, World Trade Center Complex, New York, N.Y. (Building components study for energy efficiency including building envelope and windows.-Staff Architect.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Journal Square Transportation Center, Jersey City, N.J. (Police Department Training Academy, building components study for energy efficiency including building envelope and windows-Staff Architect.)

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Newark International Airport, Newark, N.J. (Terminal “B” building envelope, Police/Crash/Fire/Rescue Building components study for energy efficiency including building envelope and windows-Staff Architect.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, JFK International Airport, Queens, N.Y. (International Arrivals Building components study for energy efficiency including building envelope and windows-Staff Architect.)

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, La Guardia Airport, Queens, N.Y. (Main Terminal Building components study for energy efficiency including building envelope and windows-Staff Architect.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, New York, N.Y. (Building components study for energy efficiency including building envelope and windows-Staff Architect.)

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Lincoln Tunnel Administration Building, Weehawken, N.J. (Project architect for a study of the expansion/relocation and /or/ renovation and addition to existing facility including; all administrative functions, Police Department and jail, Fire Department, tolls, maintenance, cafeterias, emergency response, and storage facilities. This was about 350,000 S.F.)

Nyack Seminary College, South Boulevard, Nyack, N.Y. (Project architect for the alteration of administrative building and dormitory facilities. 3 buildings of about 90,000 S.F. total -with Schoelfield Colgan Architects)

Nyack Seminary College, South Boulevard, Nyack, N.Y. (Project architect for the total redesign and rehabilitation of a 4,964 S.F. church and rectory-with Schoelfield Colgan Architects.)

Warner Lambert, Morris Plains, N.J. (Designed corporate headquarters building for Chairman and President of the 92nd largest company in the world. Contains reception/art gallery/garden on first floor and executive offices above. 15,000 S.F. Staff designer.)

Citibank, N.Y.C. (Project Manager for the total overhaul of 286 bank branches in 14 months for the installation of the automated teller Machine (ATM), which myself and four other architects had developed for Citibank. This was a 92 million dollar project in 1977.)

Munich American Reinsurance Co., Chicago, Illinois (Designed and developed standards for all office sizes, materials, furnishings colors etc. on a nation wide basis. This was over 600,000 S.F. of space with another architect-R. Markantonio, AIA.)

Why Dale?

My 50 plus years of education, training, testing and experience, along with my ability to provide clear and concise technical points of fact in report format, enables me to provide unique professional services for many types of design, construction defect, construction contract, and / or legal arguments.